Crimson Rose
by SilvrBlade
Summary: Ana is left in a coma after being shot, and there is little to no chance that she will survive. But just when all hope seemed to be lost, Melinda Gordon from a little town called Grandview shows up to shake things up. SVUxGhostWhisperer
1. Chapter 1

Crimson Rose

Summary: Ana is left in a coma after being shot, and there is little to no chance that she will survive. But just when all hope seemed to be lost, Melinda Gordon from a little town called Grandview shows up to shake things up. SVUxGhostWhisperer

Chapter 1

Olivia sat in the white hospital chair, wondering when this nightmare was going to end. She'd been sitting in the exact same chair for what had felt like days, watching the steady rise and fall of her cousin's chest. The doctors had told her she probably wasn't going to get better. She couldn't even breathe on her own. But Olivia wasn't giving up faith. She knew Ana, and she knew her cousin wasn't going down without a fight.

And yet, not having her cousin was tearing her apart. Ana was the only family Olivia had left. Sure, Calvin had come to stay, but it wasn't the same without the spunky thirteen-year-old around. Having Calvin's company was comforting, but it wasn't going to bring Ana back. Just then, someone decided to turn on the radio, and Olivia sighed.

_**I'm about to lose my mind,**_

_**you've been gone for so long.**_

_**I'm running out of time.**_

_**I need a doctor,**_

_**call me a doctor.**_

_**I need a doctor, doctor,**_

_**to bring me back to life.**_

Olivia stood up and placed a hand on her cousin's face, cupping her cold, pale cheek. She needed her cousin to wake up. She'd never be able to make it through without her.

_**I**__**told the World one day I would pay it back,**_

_**say it on tape, and lay it, record it**_

_**so that one day I could play it back.**_

_**But I don't even know if I believe it when I'm saying that.**_

_**Doubt's starting to creep in, everyday it's so grey and black.**_

The doctors kept telling her that Ana wasn't going to get better. That they didn't even know if she could hear, or speak, or even think. Olivia had been trying to convince them that Ana was going to get better, but they wouldn't listen. Even Elliot had begun to lose faith.

_**Hope, I just need a ray of that,**_

'_**cause no one sees my vision when I play it for 'em,**_

_**they just say its wack.**_

_**But they don't know what dope is,**_

_**and I don't know if I was awake or asleep**_

_**when I wrote this,**_

_**all I know is,**_

_**you came to me when I was at my lowest.**_

Olivia thought back to when Ana had first come into her life. Things had been so different. She had lost all hope that she would ever be around family. And then Ana had come in, and had showed her not only what it was like to have family, but what it was like to have someone care about you unconditionally.

_**You picked me up, breathing life in me,**_

_**I owe my life to you.**_

_**Before the life of me, I don't see why you don't see like I do.**_

**Ana never truly understood how much she meant to Olivia. That was what made it so hard for Olivia to accept that her cousin might be gone. **

_**I don't think you realize what you mean to me;**_

_**not the slightest clue.**_

'_**Cause me and you were like a crew,**_

_**I was like your sidekick.**_

_**You gon either wanna fight me when I get off this fucking mic,**_

_**or you gon hug me,**_

_**but I'm out of options, there's nothing else I can do cause…**_

_**I'm about to lose my mind,**_

_**you've been gone for so long.**_

_**I'm running out of time**_

_**I need a doctor,**_

_**call me a doctor,**_

_**I need a doctor, doctor,**_

_**to bring me back to life.**_

Ana's heart monitor began to beep loudly and Olivia was forced to watch as her cousin cringed. This was normal, the doctors told her. Ana's body was still reacting to the gunshot wound, even if she had pain medication. The only thing they really knew was that she felt pain. A lot of pain.

But this was strange. Ana kept cringing. She gasped in the machine, and her face went paler. And, all of a sudden, the breathing machine stopped working.

"Oh my God!" Olivia cried, as Ana began to convulse and gasp for air. "Doctor, I need a doctor in here!"

As Olivia cried out, a young, beautiful woman ran into the room, looking both surprised, and scared. Olivia turned around and watched her glare at something that seemed to be behind the bed. Something invisible.

"Stop!" the woman screamed at it. "Stop it, you're killing her!"

And suddenly, everything stopped. The machine turned back on, and a nurse ran in to help readjust the mask on Ana's face. As she did so, Olivia turned to the woman behind her and stared at her with wide eyes.

"What did you do?" Olivia asked her. "Who were you yelling at?"

"Umm," the woman replied, unsure of what to say. It was clear that she hadn't thought it through.

"And who the hell _are _you?" Olivia cried.

"Melinda Gordon," the woman replied, sighing. She stuck her hand out for Olivia to shake.

"Olivia Benson," Olivia replied, shaking her hand. "Now, _Melinda_, who were you yelling at?"

"A…. Olivia, do you believe in ghosts?" Melinda suddenly blurted.

"I've seen a few things," Olivia confessed, folding her arms over her chest. Suddenly, it clicked. "Were you… yelling at a ghost?"

"Yes," Melinda nodded. "He was standing over your daughter, and I think he was messing with the machine."

"She's not my daughter," Olivia said shortly, "she's my cousin. And how do you know he was messing with the machine?"

Melinda hesitated.

"He was smiling at her," she whispered, staring at her feet, "and he whispered, 'you'll be with me soon'."

Olivia shook her head doubtingly.

"You're lying to me," she stated.

"I wish I was," Melinda insisted.

"Please, get out," Olivia ordered. Melinda tried to argue, but Olivia shouted "OUT!" and she left quickly.

Melinda walked put the door, but in her mind the gears in her head were turning. That little girl needed her help, and she was going to do whatever it took to help her. Suddenly, the ghost appeared in front of her.

"Who are you?" he demanded darkly. "And how can you see me?"

"My name is Melinda Gordon," Melinda repeated to the ghost, "and what were you trying to do to that girl?"

"What do you think I was trying to do?" the ghost laughed. "That little bitch cost me my life, and I'm going to do the same to her."

"What did she do to you?" Melinda cried. "She can't be more than thirteen!"

But the ghost just shook his head.

"You'll never understand," he stated. "But she's going to die, as sure as you can speak to me!" He got up close to her face. "And if you try to stop me, you just might get hurt as well."

And then he was gone, and Melinda let out a deep breath. This wasn't uncommon for a ghost to threaten her. But there was something different about this ghost; darkness seeped out of him in waves. He wasn't going to be easy to cross over. She looked back through the window at Olivia, who was standing over he cousin somberly.

_I'm going to cross over this ghost if it's the last thing I do,_ Melinda vowed to herself. _I am not going to let this girl die._

_**I need a doctor, call me a doctor,**_

_**I need a doctor, doctor,**_

_**To bring me back to life….**_

**Notes: Sorry for the delay, but yay! I've finally uploaded! The song is I Need a Doctor by Eminem featuring Skylar Gray, and if you haven't heard it then go look it up! It's awesome! :) **

**Thanks to y'all who have been with me since the start! ;) Be a member of my Homies Club and review, pretty please! New readers or old readers, everyone's welcome! :D And as I promised, there will be more Calvin, more Lacey/Dickie action, and anything else I'm forgetting! :D Thanks so much and please don't forget to review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"I'm sorry."

"Dickie, stop-"

"No, Lacey, I mean it. If I had gotten the text to my dad earlier, maybe-"

"Dickie, shut up," Lacey snapped in her weak voice. She hacked into her elbow and spat blood into the bowl next to her. She wiped her mouth. "It wouldn't have made any difference."

"But I feel like I failed you," Dickie announced quietly, taking Lacey's hand gently into his. She was so weak. "Lacey… I love you. I don't want you to leave me."

"I'm not the one you should be worried about," Lacey replied. "Sure, maybe the doctors think I'll be in this bed till I'm fifteen, but hell I'll wait it through." She coughed again and sat back against the pillows. "How's Ana?"

"No change," Dickie shook his head.

Lacey let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes.

"Someone shot her," Lacey announced. The pain meds the doctors had given her were finally kicking in, and her speech was becoming slurred. "I saw them."

Dickie's eyes widened, and he squeezed her hand.

"Lacey, baby, stay with me," he urged. "Who shot Ana? Was it Harris?"

"No," Lacey replied softly. "It was…someone else… it was…"

Her head suddenly rolled back, and Dickie sighed. She had fallen asleep again. Dickie leaned back in his chair and released Lacey's hand. He rubbed his face and ran his fingers through his hair. So Lacey had seen who had shot Ana. This was huge. But it also meant trouble. What if the person who had shot Ana was still alive? What if they came for Lacey? Dickie groaned. He had to tell his father. If only his father wasn't still loopy from the pain meds.

"Dammit," Dickie murmured into his hands. "As if things couldn't get any worse."

Dickie opened his eyes, and suddenly, he noticed doctors standing around Lacey's bed. This was strange, considering he hadn't seen them walk in.

"Hey," he announced. The ignored him. "Hey!"

"Such a tragedy," one doctor murmured as he pulled the sheet over Lacey's head. "She was so young."

"What?" Dickie cried. He leapt to the bedside. "No! What do you mean she's dead?"

But the doctors ignored him. It was like he wasn't even there.

"If only her boyfriend had been able to save her," another doctor sighed. "Maybe she would have made it through."

"No!" Dickie cried. He grabbed the bed for support. He had killed her. He had killed his girlfriend. The girl he loved. And it was all his fault. "Lacey, please come back. I didn't kill you! Please, come back!"

And suddenly, he was alone. The bed was empty, and the doctors were gone.

"How does it feel?" a voice suddenly sneered behind him. Dickie spun around to see a dark-haired man smirking at him. "You killed her, Dickie, and she isn't coming back."

"Hey I know you!" Dickie glared. He bunched his hand into a fist and swung at him. "You son of a bitch, what did you do to-ah!"

Dickie was suddenly face-first on the ground, and the man was standing over him with his foot squarely on Dickie's back. Dickie squirmed, trying to get away, but the man was too strong.

"Don't fuck with me, boy," the man sneered. "I'm more powerful than I was when I was alive. I can kill your girlfriend. I can kill your parents. Hell, I'll kill you if I have to!"

"Don't touch my girlfriend!" Dickie ordered, but the man was gone.

"Dickie," Lacey suddenly rasped. "Why in the hell are you on the floor?"

Dickie quickly shot up and brushed himself off.

"I was.. looking for something," he replied. "But are you alright?"

"Not much better since the last time you asked, but thanks," Lacey replied, shrugging. She gave him a hard stare. "Dickie, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost. And you're all pale."

"I'm fine," Dickie murmured. He patted Lacey's hand, and back up to leave the room. "You get some rest, okay? I have to go talk to Olivia."

"Okay," she answered, looking a bit skeptical as he backed away. "I'll be here."

"I love you," Dickie told her before closing the door.

Lacey smiled back at him from the bed.

"I love you too."

Dickie smiled, and closed the door behind him. As soon as the door was closed, he ran into Ana's room.

"Olivia," he announced, "we need to talk."

"Dickie what is it?" Olivia asked, getting up from her chair. "You look-"

"Like I've seen a ghost," he finished for her shortly. "Yeah, I got that."

"Well what's up?" Olivia asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"Has anything…weird, happened to you?" Dickie asked hesitantly.

Olivia paused. "Why?"

"Well…" Dickie scratched the back of his head nervously, "I kinda… Olivia, I think the ghost of Harris is haunting us."

Olivia's expression darkened.

"Not you too, Dickie," she frowned, shaking her head. "Look, there is no such thing as ghosts. How many people do I have to tell that to?"

"But I saw him!" Dickie insisted, waving his arms hysterically. "He was on top of my for Christ's sake! I couldn't breathe!"

Olivia shook her head. "It was probably all just a dream."

"No, Olivia, it wasn't!" Dickie snapped. "And I think Ana is in real danger!"

"Get out, Dickie," Olivia growled. "Go get some rest."

Dickie hesitated, but walked out, glaring at her.

"If you don't believe me, then I'll find someone who will!" he called.

Suddenly, as he closed the door, he came face to face with a brunette woman.

"Hi," she greeted him, sticking out her hand for him to shake. "My name in Melinda Gordon. And I can see ghosts."

**Notes: Hi guys, sorry for the long wait. I've been so busy! :P But I wanted to get this chapter out before I left for Navy Soccer camp… and vacation… damn, I'm gonna be gone for a while. :P Usually I never have to leave so early into a story, but you can't turn back time, and I promise to update again as soon as I get back! :) Thanks for your support, you guys. Y'all are the best.**

**Also, I've published a story on the other website I was talking about (the regular fiction website), and I put the link on my profile. I would be forever grateful if you guys would go check it out! Thank you so much!**

**Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Dickie sat next to Melinda in the hospital hallway, his face in his hands.

"This isn't happening," Dickie shook his head.

"I know this is hard, "Melinda told him softly, folding her hands and leaning her elbows on her knees. "Usually kids stop seeing ghosts at a young age, but-"

"I'm fifteen," Dickie spat.

Melinda nodded, keeping her voice soft. "I know."

Dickie dropped his hands and sighed exasperatedly. There was so much anger in his eyes, Melinda noticed. Didn't he realize that this was a gift?

"Why can I only see this one ghost though?" Dickie demanded. "You say you see them every day!"

"I don't know why, Dickie," Melinda told him honestly. "Maybe it's because he has a strong connection to you. To your father."

"I don't want to see him anymore," Dickie told her.

"I don't either," she confessed. "But the first step in doing that is to figure out what he wants."

"He wants Ana dead," Dickie told her sourly. "That's why he stayed. He's going to try to kill her."

"Tell me first why he wants her dead," Melinda told him. Dickie hesitated, staring at the floor. Melinda gave him a pleading look; he needed to tell her. She had to know about this in order to save her. "Please, Dickie."

Dickie sighed. "Okay. I'll tell you."

Melinda watched as Dickie shifted in his seat.

"Harris," he began, "was a corrections officer at Sealview. My dad learned about him when he raped a girl whose mother, an inmate, he was also raping. He had raped Ashley, the daughter, because her mom had stopped supplying him with drugs. Then he killed Ashley's mom at the jail and Olivia went in to investigate."

"Is Ana Olivia's daughter?" Melinda asked.

"No," Dickie replied, "but I'm getting there. When Olivia went undercover, there was a riot, and Harris took her down to the basement. That's where he tried to rape her. She was saved by a fellow officer, but she wasn't the same after that. Ana is Olivia's second cousin. She came to her after her parents were murdered. After Olivia got Ana, she got a lot better, but Harris came back for revenge. He escaped from jail and wanted revenge. He kidnapped Ana and took her back to Sealview. That's where he tried to relive the rape. I don't know what happened down there, but after that Ana came back different. We thought Harris was dead. But he wasn't. He came back and kidnapped Ana again, this time with my girlfriend. He did things to Lacey that she won't even tell me about. And to Ana… we don't know. All we know is that Harris hates Ana, and he probably wants her dead so he can…"

Melinda nodded. "I see."

Dickie dropped his head into his hands again. "I just want it to be over," he told her. "I want him gone, and out of our lives."

"I know you do," Melinda told him. "And I'm going to do everything I can to make it that way."

…..

Olivia sat in Ana's eerily dark room. It seemed to get colder every second she sat there. She rubbed her arms, trying to rid them of the goose bumps that lined them.

"Harris," she whispered, "if you're here… I want you out of this room. I want you away from my cousin, and I want you out of my life."

Harris chuckled, even though he knew she couldn't hear him.

"Oh Olivia," he smiled, putting a cold hand on her shoulder. She flinched under his touch, and he chuckled and smelled her hair. "You were always so naïve. I'm never going to leave you alone. I will stay with you forever. I'm in your head now, as I speak. You can't hear me, Olivia, but I'm here. And I will always be here."

He kissed her neck, and Olivia jumped out of her chair. It felt as though she had received an electric shock through her neck. She was shaking now, uncontrollably, and she didn't know why.

"Leave me alone," Olivia begged softly, closing her eyes, "please."

Harris only smiled, and walked over to the bed where Ana laid. He watched her breathe, and knew that with one flick of his finger, he could turn off everything, and she could finally be with him. But it was too soon, he told himself. He would play with her for a little bit longer.

"Goodbye, my sweet," he whispered to Olivia as he vanished. "I'll see you soon."

…..

"Olivia," Elliot whispered as she sobbed in his arms, "it's okay. You're okay."

"He was in my dreams," Olivia whimpered. It was five o'clock in the morning and she had woken up from an intense nightmare. The one that had haunted her ever since Harris had been pronounced dead. She had immediately run to Elliot's room, and he had taken her into the bed with him to comfort her. "He was… touching me… in the basement… and I couldn't move! I couldn't scream! He had me pinned down…"

"It's okay, Olivia," Elliot whispered. "You're okay now. He never touched you. You're here with _me_. In _my _arms. It's just me, Elliot, your partner. Your best friend."

"I know," Olivia dared to smile. She nestled her head into the crook of his arm. "Thank you, Elliot. I'm sorry for waking you up."

"It's alright," Elliot smiled. "You can wake me up any time you want."

Olivia laughed. "Thanks Elliot. That means a lot."

"It's no trouble," he insisted. He rubbed her arm. "Are you okay to go back to sleep?"

Olivia nodded and began to get up.

"I'll be okay," she insisted.

She walked out, tossing a grateful smile over her shoulder, and Elliot smiled back. He knew having Ana so close to death had affected her greatly. Olivia needed Ana, every bit as much as Ana needed her. Elliot could only hope that Ana would somehow pull through, and then everything would be back to normal. Or at least, almost.

**Notes: Hey y'all! So I'm back from Navy camp! Yay! :) It was a lot of fun, minus the early morning sessions and the blisters covering my feet. Other than that, it was a whole lot of fun! :) Plans have changed, so I'll be around this week, until next Thursday, writing my ass off. I have a lot planned for this story, and my other story Strings; for those of you reading it, I'll update as soon as I can, I'm just going to be really busy. Instead of me going to them, my family is coming to me! :) So I promise, every chance I get I will take to update. **

**Thanks so much for your support you guys! :) Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review! **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Melinda found herself walking with Dickie up to the main desk of the hospital.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Dickie announced, "can I get the background on Lowell Harris? Recently deceased."

The lady at the main desk raised her eyebrow suspiciously, placing her hand protectively on the book in front of her. The thing looked as though it was going to explode.

"A little young to be asking for information on him, aren't you?" she asked.

"My dad is a cop," Dickie replied confidently without hesitation. "He was in the shooting with him, and now he needs the information to finish his report. He got shot in the leg, so he asked me to come get it for him."

"And who is your father?" the lady asked, pulling down her glasses to the end of her nose and beginning to type on her computer. Melinda was shocked and impressed at how steadily and confidently Dickie had spun his story.

"Elliot Stabler, room 402," Dickie replied.

The lady clicked away at her keys. "And your name?"

"Richard Stabler," Dickie replied. "Also called Dickie, or Dick Stabler."

The lady clicked away, and then sighed. The story had obviously checked out. She rolled away from her computer in her chair and opened the folder, taking out the papers.

"Harris comma Lowell," she announced, handing the papers to Dickie. "Send your father my best wishes, will you?"

"Sure thing," Dickie smiled.

Melinda and Dickie turned on their heels and went back down the hallway. Once they were out of sight, Dickie opened the file and handed it to Melinda.

"This is all you should need to know," he told her with a small smile. "I hope it helps."

"Thank you," Melinda smiled, reading over the information. She sat down on one of the benches, and Dickie sat down next to her. "Hmm, it says here he was charged with the attempted rape and assault of Detective Olivia Benson, and the rape and assault of Ashley Tyler. It also says he was charged with assaulting an officer, kidnapping, and wow… that's a lot of charges."

"They piled everything they could on him," Dickie smiled. He seemed very pleased. "He was a bad guy."

Melinda nodded, reading on. This was so horrible! Melinda never usually had to deal with these kinds of people, dead or alive. Grandview was a remotely safe place. She couldn't remember the last time there had been a rape, or even a kidnapping. If there had been, she hadn't heard about it, paranormally or otherwise. None the less, she was hell-bent on getting this guy where he belonged.

…..

Olivia smiled as Calvin popped into Ana's hospital room with a brown paper bag.

"Hey buddy," she smiled warmly. He handed her the bag and she peered inside. "What's this?"

"Melinda made some fudge, and Fin made you lunch," he smiled. "I wanted to bring it over with them."

"Where are they?" Olivia asked, looking toward the door.

"Oh, they'll be in in a minute," Calvin replied. "They're visiting Elliot first."

Calvin grew silent as his gaze drifted toward Ana. She had recently been taken off the breathing machine, and Olivia had been overjoyed. Her chances of surviving had increased, and now she could breathe on her own. It showed the healing of her brain, and maybe, Olivia hoped, if it healed enough, she would wake up. Calvin walked over to the bedside and watched her breathe.

Here she was, he thought, the girl who had risked everything to save him. She had singlehandedly ushered them all out the door that night in Vermont, and had risked her own life for theirs as she had led Harris' accomplice away from them. She had let him chase her; had let him climb on top of her if it meant that they would get away. Heck, she had almost been raped by Harris when she had tried to save them! And now look how she had been repayed for all her bravery; she was in a coma because some son of a bitch had shot her.

"She'll be alright, Calvin," Olivia told him steadily, getting up and walking over to him. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "She's getting better. Slowly, but she's getting better."

"I don't want her to die, Olivia," Calvin told her, biting his lip to keep himself form crying. "She risked everything for me. She shouldn't die like this!"

"I know, baby," Olivia replied, her voice cracking. She leaned down and looked him in the eye. Calvin noticed how close to tears she had become. "She reisked everything for all of us, one time or another. But we have to be strong for her, okay? If we can make it through, then she can."

Calvin nodded and looked back at the girl who had saved him. Even in a coma, he could feel the love she shared for her family. For her friends. She was so brave; so caring. He looked up and saw Olivia looking at her as well, lost in thought. A tear ran down her cheek, and she closed her eyes.

"Who would do such a thing?" she whispered.

Calvin quickly hugged her middle, and Olivia reacted by pulling him as close to her as she could.

"It's okay," he told her. "It's okay, Olivia. We'll find who did this. And Ana's gonna wake up, and Lacey's gonna get better, and we'll all be one big happy family."

"Thank you, Calvin," Olivia smiled through her tears. "I'm glad you came to live with me."

"Me too," Calvin smiled. "I'll never leave you, Olivia, and I know Ana would rather die than leave you too. She isn't going anywhere; not if she can help it."

"Wise words, little man." Calvin smiled at Fin as the detective walked into the room. "Liv, Huang is ready to talk."

Olivia nodded and wiped her eyes. "I'll be right back, okay?" she told Calvin.

"I'll be here," he promised.

He waited until she had left and Fin closed the door. Then, Calvin turned back to the bed and climbed into it, being careful of the wires and tubes. Making himself comfortable, he laid down next to Ana and hugged her tightly, letting his tears fall freely now.

"Please don't die, Ana," he begged, tears falling down his cheeks as he closed his eyes. "I always wanted a big sister."

**Notes: I thought this would be a nice way to end the chapter. :) Next chapter; the detectives and Kris get some one-on-one time with Ana, and Melinda has a vision! **

**Review, pretty please! Or I won't continue! ;) Thanks a million!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Fin and Melinda Warner sat by Ana's bed, and Melinda squeezed his hand. It had been a long night for all three of them.

"She's going to be alright, Fin," Melinda smiled at him. "She'll make it through. You might not know it, but she's getting better every day."

"She has to get better now," Fin laughed with a twisted smile. "We need her."

"Don't worry," Melinda replied. She squeezed his hand tightly. "I'm going to go get something from the food court. You want something?"

Fin shook his head no, and Melinda got up and left. She closed the door behind her, and Fin sighed. He put his head in his hands and smiled at Ana.

"Hey Little D," Fin smiled. "You need to pull through, okay? Olivia's a mess. Though, she's been with you for so long, I think you already know that." Fin sighed and closed his eyes. "I know… you probably can't hear me right now. I mean, you just started breathing on your own. How _could _you hear me?"

Fin let out a half-hearted chuckle, but continued.

"I don't know who'd shoot you, baby girl," he told her. "You were such a giver. You _are _a giver. You helped so many people, some you don't even know about. People see your bravery, Ana, and they see someone who can help save this world. We need people like you, Ana. People who don't give a shit about what happens to them as long as the other person is safe. People who care about other people with all their heart. You need to show those people how to be strong like you, Ana." Fin sighed and looked at his feet. "We need you to live."

…..

"You okay man?" Fin woke up to see Elliot peeking in the door, his crutches at his side. "Mel says you haven't eaten anything."

"I'm fine," Fin sighed. He looked over at Ana. "Just… napping. Hey shouldn't you be in your room?"

"Just getting some exercise," he replied. "Nurse said I had to try out my crutches."

Fin nodded, and turned around. Elliot could feel how badly his friend was hurting. He sighed and hobbled over to Fin's chair, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"She's gonna be okay, man," Elliot told him. "We just have to keep believing that."

"But what if she doesn't get better?" Fin asked hopelessly. "What if she's like this forever?"

"She won't be." Elliot spoke firmly, hoping to assure his friend. "She's going to get better."

Fin just nodded. He didn't have the energy to keep arguing. Instead, he changed the subject. "So how is Olivia?"

"She's torn up" Elliot replied softly. He looked at Ana and smiled. "She really cares about you, Ana. You were the person who helped her believe again. You helped out of that rut, and now you need to do it again. She needs you, more than you ever know."

"We all need you, Ana," Fin continued for him. "You gave us all hope. You're part of our family now. And I'm not about to let the girl who's like my daughter die on me."

"Fin, Olivia needs to see us." Fin looked up to see Elliot looking at his phone. "She says it's important."

Fin nodded and got up. "I'll see ya later, Ana," he promised. "I promise."

The two officers had just left the room when Elliot

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Elliot told her. She said nothing, her hand on his leg as she had fallen to the floor. "Hello?" Elliot announced, noticing the blank look on her face. "Can I help you?"

…..

The minute Melinda Gordon had touched Elliot's leg, she had been swept away into a vision. She suddenly found herself in a dark room, surrounded by people, who were all yelling. And suddenly, there were gunshots. Melinda hit the ground and watched in horror as people fell to the ground, one of which was a young girl.

"STOP!" Melinda screamed, closing her eyes. "STOP!"

And it did. Melinda opened her eyes, and saw everything had stopped. Bullets had stopped in midair. People were in the middle of shouting. Melinda got up and walked around, noticing every single bloody horror. She saw the woman she had met earlier, Olivia, being covered by a man's body as he shielded her from a bullet that had pierced his leg. He was mid cry when time had stopped. Then she saw Ana, the young girl who was in a coma at the hospital. She was dressed in nothing but her underwear, and was crying out as a bullet had pierced her chest.

Melinda's eyes widened in horror. Was this what everyone in that room had seen? Was this how things had gone down; in this bloody mess? Melinda looked around, looking for the shooter. But what she saw was just guns, guns, and more guns. This was more frightening than when her best friend had been held captive in her own shop by a man with a bomb. More frightening than when her own son, Aiden, had gone missing. A stray tear ran down her cheek. This was what some people had to deal with every day.

Melinda walked around, wondering why this was her vision. This was horrible. She saw peoples' cries of pain. Cries of angst. She even saw one officer clutching the bleeding body of another. She could almost feel him willing her to come back to life.

"I'm so glad I was never a cop," Melinda whispered. And suddenly, she saw something she couldn't ignore. "What the-?"

She looked at the scene in front of her, and gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe it. She was looking at the person who had shot Ana.

**Notes: Sorry for the long wait; I've been so busy! And having two stories to do at the same time is quite a hassle! And I know I said Kris would be in this chapter, but once I started writing… well… Kris just didn't get factored in. But I AM a girl of my word, so promise with all of my heart to give you an Ana/Kris scene NEXT chapter... and I've already planned it out, so this is a super pinky-promise. :P I'm really sorry. **

**Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review, no matter how mad you are at me! :) Thanks! **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Um, ma'am?" A deep voice brought Melinda out of her vision. "Are you okay?"

Melinda blinked and realized she was on the floor… with her hand on a man's leg.

"Oh God!" she cried, leaping up and brushing herself off. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean… I mean, I-"

"It's alright," the man smiled warmly. It was clear to him that she was troubled, though what it was puzzled him. "My name is Elliot Stabler. You?"

"Melinda Gordon," she replied, smiling at him awkwardly and shaking his hand. "I was just um… looking for… my husband."

"Do you need any help?" Elliot asked. He seemed concerned now.

"No, no," Melinda assured him quickly. "It's alright. I can find him. I'll just be-"

"You again!" Melinda spun around to see Olivia coming toward her. "What do you want?"

"Um…" Melinda was speechless. She hadn't planned on this happening.

"You know Melinda?" Elliot asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Olivia told him sharply. She folded her arms over her chest and stared coldly at Melinda. "I do. What do you want now?"

"N-nothing," Melinda stammered. "I was just looking for my h-husband."

"Melinda!" They all spun around to see Dickie running toward them, waving some papers. "I found...oh. Um, well, I see you guys are kinda busy, so I'll just be going then..."

Dickie began to walk away quickly, but Elliot remained firm.

"Richard Stabler," he snapped, tapping his good foot, "get over here right now."

Dickie blushed a deep red and approached the group in the hallway, tucking his papers behind his back.

"Hi Dad," he murmured.

"What is going on here?" Elliot demanded. He turned to Melinda coldly. "How do you know my son?"

"I met Melinda a little while ago!" Dickie quickly defended her. "She's really nice, Dad, and she does things that other people can't. Kinda like you."

"You mean see ghosts?" Olivia spat. "Not you too, Dickie."

"It's true!" Dickie insisted. "I saw them too!"

Olivia shook her head. "Dickie, ghosts don't exist. Stop being a child."

As soon as Olivia spoke those words, the light bulb above their heads popped with a loud bang, making the hallway darker and more eerie.

"See!" Dickie cried, waving his arms. "He's here!" He looked around, and suddenly saw a shadow dart down the hallway. "There he goes!"

Melinda had seen the shadow too, but had no intention of following it, considering that she still had some explaining to do. But Dickie, on the other hand, began to run down the hallway after it.

"Dickie, stop!" Melinda shouted, going after him. "You don't know what you're up against!"

She ran down the hallway after him, weaving through people. But somehow, Dickie managed to stay two steps ahead of her, keeping a good amount of space between him and Melinda.

"Dickie!" Melinda cried. "Dickie, stop!"

But when she reached the end of the hallway, Dickie was just no-where to be found.

…..

Everyone was gone from the room, which was good. He didn't think people would approve of him being with her. None the less, he had to see her.

Kris walked up to the bed in a hurry, smiling as he approached the bed.

"Hi, Rose," he smiled sadly, kissing her cheek. A tear ran down his cheek. "I'm back."

She remained silent, and he chastised himself. What had he expected her to do? Jump miraculously out of the bed and hug him?

"I'm sorry, Rose," he told her, flopping into the chair. "I couldn't protect you. You needed me, and I wasn't there for you. I know you wouldn't have wanted me there, but at least I shoulder have tried."

He slouched down in the chair and dropped his head into his hands.

"I'm lost without you," he whispered. "I don't have anyone else. Nothing means anything to me without you, Rose. I need you." He sniffed loudly as he began to cry. "Please don't leave me."

"What are you doing here?"

Kris leapt up abruptly to see Olivia in the room. She was staring at him coldly, looking conflicted.

"Detective Benson," he sniffed, wiping his eyes quickly. "I was just…ah…"

Olivia stopped him with a wave of her hand. "Save it. I don't want to hear it."

Kris nodded, his gaze drawing back to Ana. He looked back and saw Olivia was still staring at him.

"You really love her… don't you?" Olivia's question caught him by surprise. "You really love my cousin."

"I do," Kris nodded, "with all of my heart. I've never loved anything or anyone more than I love your cousin."

Olivia nodded, dropping her gaze to the floor. "It's my job to arrest people like you," she told him, but her voice wasn't hostile. It was more, conversational. "I lock up people like you all the time. What's to stop me from putting cuffs on you right now?"

Kris paused.

"Because I'm not like the people that you lock up," he replied finally. "They think they know what a child wants. They think that they are what they need. And they satisfy themselves by sexually scarring them forever, and ruining their lives." He turned and took Ana's cold, pale hand into his. "I don't know what Ana wants. I don't know what she needs. But the only purpose I have in life is to make her happy. Is to ask her what she wants; what she needs, and give it to her. When she's happy, I'm happy, and that's all that matters." He stared Olivia dead in the eye, still holding Ana's hand. "The minute I stop being good for her will be the day I leave and never come back."

Olivia didn't speak for a minute. She seemed to be trying to take it all in.

"Good answer," she told him, her voice hoarse.

"Thank you," Kris replied.

He looked at Ana and watched her breathe. He could have sworn he saw the ghost of a small smile playing on her lips.

**Notes: As promised, an Ana/Kris moment. :) I hope y'all like it. And I really do apologize for the late update. I kid you not, I am juggling four stories, one of which is yet to be published, some family issues, some me issues, and to top it all off a summer assignment I've barely started. :P So if I'm late, I am so sorry, but I'm doing the best I can to keep up. Please put the pitchforks and torches away, the time for that will be later. ;P **

**Well, you know the drill! Thanks, and please leave a nice review, no matter how much you hate me right now! ;) Thanks!**

**Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Dickie pushed his way down the hallway, chasing the phantom shadow. It darted under tables, in and out of rooms, him to trip over his own feet just to keep up. He panted and huffed, feeling his chest tighten. Damn, he needed to work out.

Pushing his physical issues to the back of his mind, Dickie crashed through a pair of double doors and bounded into one of the nearby rooms. He was right on the ghost's tail, and he was almost right on top of it until he ran into the room and the door was slammed shut behind him. He spun around in horror, realizing what had happened. He'd been so keen on catching Harris and giving him what-for that he hadn't realized that the ghost might have been leading him into a trap.

Immediately, Dickie began to scratch and claw at the door vainly, trying with all of his might to pry it open. To his dismay, it didn't move an inch. Realizing this, he took to banging his fists on the door and crying out, praying to whoever was listening that he would somehow get out, that the door would open and he could escape. But while the hallways had been nearly flooded with people before, they now stood barren, with not a soul in sight. Dickie stared in awe, his mind reeling. What the hell had just happened?

Suddenly, he felt hot. Not sitting-next-to-a-heater hot, but unbearably hot. The kind of hot you feel if you're standing outside on a humid day and the sunlight is reflecting off of 1,000 mirrors onto your skin. The air had suddenly become thick too, and before Dickie knew it, the room was beginning to fill with smoke. Quickly, he covered his nose with his shirt and spun around, trying to find where the fire had suddenly sprung up from. But the room itself had become engulfed by flames, making the walls dance with glowing orange and yellow heat and making the air in the room unbreathably thick and smoky. Dickie coughed and wheezed, noticing how quickly he was becoming lightheaded and dizzy. He dropped onto his knees and fell to the floor, his eyes burning. He felt his chest tighten and his consciousness begin to fade.

He was about halfway into unconsciousness when suddenly, the room was clear. All signs that there was or had ever been a fire had completely vanished. Dickie coughed and wheezed, looking around with his eyes still stinging. He had had another hallucination, but this time, it had been him that had been the one close to death.

"Consider this a warning, boy," Dickie heard a voice hiss into his ear. "_Don't go running head first into things you don't understand._"

…

_"What the hell is this place?"_

_ Ana walked tentatively down the road, gazing in wonder at the post-apocalyptic world she had been dropped in. She'd woken up in the dirt, cold and alone, and had had no other choice but to explore. But now she was regretting even leaving her spot, staring up at the broken buildings and smog-filled sky. Nothing around her told her where she was. There were no street signs, no store logos, not even an old newspaper flying around in the wind like you usually see in those zombie movies on TV. Ana rubbed her arms nervously. She'd never felt so alone._

_ From out of nowhere there suddenly came a howling wind, one that nearly knocked Ana off of her feet. She pushed her hair out of her face and looked around frantically, wondering where the hell the sudden change of weather had come from. She glanced around, but all she could see was the broken down city and its never-ending streets. She was about to begin walking again when voice called her to attention._

_ "Hello, Anastasia."_

_ Ana's head shot up, and she found herself staring into the face of stranger. He was tall, with a neat tuxedo and polished shoes that seemed totally out of place in the abandoned city. He wasn't too bad looking either, sporting dark hair and a manly scruff that made him seem like an athlete. His entire body seemed well defined, and Ana almost believed he was human, until she saw his dark, piercing black eyes. A chill went up her spine, and her breath was nearly taken from her body._

_ "Am I in Hell?" she whispered, trembling from the cold wind and from the petrifying fear that was piercing her heart._

_ "No," the stranger chuckled. "This is not Hell."_

_ "Th-then where am I?" Ana demanded, taken off guard by the sight of her breath as she spoke. "I…I don't…"_

_ "Remember anything?" the man finished for her. "Yes, it seems you've lost your memory in all of this turmoil. But trust me, you might be better off without it."_

_ "Where am I?" Ana demanded again. She was beginning to grow impatient._

_ The stranger smiled, as if laughing at an inside joke that only he understood. "Consider it a version of your subconscious. You're not dead, but you're not alive either. You're inside your own head, and I'm here to collect you."_

_ "Collect me?" Ana stared at the stranger, unsure of what to think. "What does that mean?"_

_ "You haven't figured out who I am yet, have you?" The stranger tilted his head slightly in surprise. _

_ "No, I haven't."_

_ "I'll give you a hint. Who comes to collect souls once they've reached the end of their time?"_

_ "The Grim Reaper?"_

_ "Close."_

_ "Satan?"_

_ "Not so close."_

_ "The Flying Dutchman from Spongebob?"_

_ "Oh now you're just being ridiculous."_

_ "I'm sorry, I have no idea who you are."_

_ "Alright, then I guess I'll tell you." The stranger smiled again, his eyes seeming to burn into Ana's soul. "I'm the one they call Death."_

**Notes: I kind of borrowed the in-between-consciousness thing from an episode of Supernatural, hope you guys don't mind. Also, sorry for not updating this story in..like...2 years. Actually, I hadn't really planned on finishing it at all until I got a lovely message from a reader, telling me how much they enjoyed this saga. Thanks to them, I was inspired to finish the story. It may take a while, but I'm going to finish it, not to worry. :) Thanks to you all for sticking with me, and wish me luck! -SilvrBlade**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_"No," Ana whispered, slowing backing away. "No!"_

_ "That's usually the response I get," Death shrugged. "But time is up, Anastasia, and it's time for you to move on." He held out his hand. "Let me take you to a place where no one can ever hurt you again. It's warm and safe there, and you'll never run out of things to do or people to talk to. Let me take you to Heaven, child. This may be your only chance."_

_ "I'm not dying," Ana said stubbornly. She didn't remember what had happened to her, only that one minute she was alive and now she wasn't. Or maybe she was-she really couldn't tell. "Am I in Purgatory of something?"_

_ "Kind of," Death answered. "This is where comatose souls come when it's time for them to pass on. It's different for everyone...though it seems your state of consciousness is much more chaotic than I'm used to." He gazed at the abandoned city around him and shot her a humorous glance. "What have you been up to, child?"_

_ "I don't remember," she replied truthfully, "but I know it's not my time. I don't remember what my life was like before I came here, but I just know deep down in my gut that there's still something I need to do."_

_ "That's a normal feeling," Death said, nodding as if in agreement. "Most souls feel that way before moving on. The important part is to remember that no matter what happened while you were alive, none of it matters now. If you come with me, all of your problems won't matter anymore. You'll be in a state of eternal bliss, one you know you well deserve."_

_ Ana shook her head and began to disagree, but then paused. "Wait...did you say I was comatose?"_

_ "I may have let that slip, yes. Why?"_

_Suddenly the environment began to change, and Ana found herself being thrown into a painful memory. She felt as if her body was being torn apart, and upon opening her eyes, she realized that she was lying on a hospital bed while surgeons were trying to patch a giant, bleeding hole in her chest. She could hear them shouting orders to each other, but the pain that emanated through her body muffled their voices. All she knew was the excruciating pain that stemmed from chest and shot through every nerve in her entire body._

_ Then the memory shifted. She found herself standing in her underwear, trapped in a dark hallway that seemed to go on for miles. Then she noticed that she wasn't alone._

_ Familiar figures stood in a circle around her, and as she turned to look at them, she realized she knew them, as little pieces of memory came floating back. She began to match the figures' names to their faces._

_ "Olivia, Elliot, Fin, Munch, Cragen," she said, listing them off in the order that they appeared. These faces brought back familiar, positive feelings, and they made her feel warm and safe. She turned to the next few faces. "Lacey, Anna, Calvin." These faces also brought back positive feelings, though much fainter than the previous ones. Then she turned to the last few. She struggled to remember the names of these figures, as if the memories were purposely evading her. She felt as though they were consciously slipping through her fingers, dancing just beyond the grasp of her memory so that she knew they were there, but wouldn't be able to __reach them._

_Ana didn't know why, but for some reason, she knew that these faces were hiding from her. After some intense concentration, she was able to match Harris's name to his face, but for some reason the other faces seemed blurred out, as if someone had taken an eraser to them. Then she realized that one of the figures was pointing a gun at her chest._

_ The shock brought Ana out of her flashbacks and back to the run down city, where she found that she was lying on the ground, sweating and breathing heavily. She looked up to see Death frowning at her._

_ "What just happened to me?" she breathed, pushing herself up off of the ground._

_ "Your memories are much stronger than I expected," Death said, still frowning. "Usually people's memories come back slowly, piece by piece, but the violent and unpredictable nature of your experiences seem to give your memories the strength to be just that-violent and unpredictable. __They're more like flashbacks than memories, though. If you or something else triggers them, you get thrown back into them, and suddenly you're reliving those memories as if your physical body had been returned to that exact moment in time. Sometimes they're nice memories, and sometimes they're not. There's really no way to tell which one you're going to get."_

_ Suddenly there came a loud rumbling, and the entire world began to shake. Ana thought she was being thrown into another flashback, but this time, her physical world was changing. One of the broken down buildings began to shake, and then suddenly began to pull itself back together. In a matter of seconds, the building that had once been only iron framework left to rust became a 20-story tall skyscraper that looked good as new. Ana turned to Death for an answer, and saw the discomfort on his face._

_ "Before you ask," he said, "I do know what that was. That was your mind healing, and beginning to rebuild itself. Remember how I said that this place was your subconscious? Well, you just witnessed you subconscious begging to pull itself back together. Usually it takes much longer for that to begin to happen, but..." He trailed off, becoming lost in thought._

_ "But what?" Ana asked anxiously._

_ Death's eyes flashed as he turned to face her, a new sense of urgency making its home in his demeanor. "But the mental strength that you possess is making it possible for you to recover quickly. What you saw is only the beginning. Soon you'll have this whole city pulling itself back together, brick by brick, stone by stone. Eventually, you may even be fully healed, save a few dings and scratches from the trauma you've experienced. But I don't plan on us being there for that to happen."_

_ Ana was taken aback by the sharpness in his voice. "Why?" she asked, flustered. "Isn't it a good thing that I'm healing?"_

_ "It's too unpredictable, and too dangerous," Death answered grimly, shaking his head. "When the subconscious mind begins to heal, bricks don't always get put back the way that they're supposed to. Sometimes you get lucky, and the bricks are insignificant pieces. In this instance, it wouldn't matter whether you had those bricks or not. But for many of these bricks, they represent important parts of your mind and body. If any one of these pieces gets put back in the wrong place, your physical body and soul could be permanently damaged. Your soul would come back, yes, but your ability to walk may not. Or maybe you'd lose the ability to speak, or the ability to hear. You see, if you come back from this, you run the risk of being permanently crippled with no chance of recovery. So I'll present you with a question: Is it worth it to live when the life you come back to may not be worth living?"_

_ Ana paused for a moment before answering. "All lives are worth living, and regardless of what happens to me during mine, I want to be there to live it."_

**Notes: Hello friends! I know it's been about a year since I last updated this story, but I've finally found some extra time to write and get back into the fanfiction community! I plan on doing a lot more catching up on my stories, and I'm excited to finally have the time to work on them again! **

**I'd like to give a special thanks to everyone who has stuck with me after all this time. You guys mean the world to me, and I can't thank you enough for your continued support. You guys got me to where I am today, and every one of you will always hold a special place in my heart. I'd also like to give a special thanks to those who have just started reading, or started reading a while ago but had to stop here because I'd been too busy to update. I wouldn't be here without your support, and I'm super excited to finally be able to get back into the story!**

**Thank you so much for reading, and please don't forget to review and tell me your thoughts!**


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